Page 5 - MidWeek Windward - Sep 15 2021

Girl Scout’s Silver Award Project Benefits Kāko‘o ‘Ōiwi
Shanti Ng values her time working with Kāko‘o ‘Ōiwi, as it has taught her so much.
Kāko‘o ‘Ōiwi is a non- profit, located in the He‘ia Wetlands that works to support cultural practices, agriculture, education and natural-resource restoration and management. During her work there, Ng found a way that she could help the non- profit and its volunteers.
was in kindergarten, coor- dinated with the nonprofit’s staff and, along with her un- cle, Willy Domingo and her dad, Kevin Ng, she designed and built two shelves for vol- unteers to use.
‘He ali‘i ka ‘āina; he kauwā ke kanaka. The land is a chief; man is its servant. Land has no need for man, but man needs the land and works it for a livelihood’,” states Anake Kahiau of Kākoʻo ʻŌi- wi, referencing the proverb excepted from ʻŌlelo No‘eau by Mary Kawena Pukui and Detrich Varez.
“I was first introduced to Kāko‘o ‘Ōiwi when I was in the sixth grade at Kame- hameha Schools. I truly en- joyed the environment at their organization so I chose to work there for the rest of the school year.”
“I saw that when volun- teers come to the site to help and work, there was no area for them to place their be- longings. The need for a des- ignated storage area became clear to me every time I vis- ited to place. I felt it would be beneficial to everyone that volunteered at Kāko‘o ‘Ōiwi if they had an area to store their personal belongings.”
Mom Cathy points out that the monies used to build the shelves were earned through Girl Scout cookie sales.
The 14-year-old Kāne‘ohe resident is also a member of Girl Scout Troop 789. Her goal was to complete her Sil- ver Award project — a feat accomplished by just 10% of Girl Scouts. Girl Scout Ca- dettes who wish to earn the Silver Award are tasked with, among other things, identify- ing an issue they care about, picking a take-action project, and making a plan and im- plementing it.
“I know that people won- der what the money from the sales goes toward. Well, it’s for community projects like this,” she states.
“We also appreciate that Shanti recognized a need at our farm and took the ini- tiative to fulfill the need. As small as it may seem, it provides organization in our space.”
Shanti Ng (left) presents the shelves she built for her Girl Scouts Silver Award to
Anake Kahiau at Kāko‘o ‘Ōiwi. PHOTO COURTESY SHANTI NG
Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi for giving me awesome learning opportu- nities and for giving me per- mission to build the shelves and my Troop 789 leader, Amy Ganiko and troop sis- ters for the encouragement to push forward when times got difficult,” Ng states.
“Shanti and her ʻōhana did a wonderful job construct- ing shelves for our education site at Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi, painted brown and decorated with ʻōlelo noʻeau, Hawaiian prov- erbs, reminding those who use it of our kuleana (responsibil- ities) in life and at our farm,
Ng revealed that the pan- demic complicated the pro- cess a bit, but she persevered.
Now, the volunteers who go (there) won’t have to worry about their belongings be- ing misplaced or damaged because it will be placed in a safe and contained area.
SEPTEMBER 15, 2021 5
The Kamehameha Schools ninth grader, who’s been with Girl Scouts since she
“I’m glad that I stuck with it because I do believe the shelves I built will make a difference at Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi.
“Mahalo to my uncle Wil- ly and dad for helping me de- sign and build the shelves, to
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